# DetectifAI wants to put deepfake voice checks on phones

> After an AI-generated voice tricked her grandfather into paying a ransom, founder Tarini Padmanabhuni started DetectifAI. The company says its compact models can spot fake voices on a phone without sending audio to the cloud.

Oossa · 2026-09-28 · https://oossa.com/en/detectifai-wants-to-put-deepfake-voice-checks-on-phones

DetectifAI is building voice-detection software that phone makers could add directly to their devices. Founder Tarini Padmanabhuni says the on-device system could check calls and voice messages without audio leaving the phone.

Her grandfather paid a ransom after a caller used a deepfake imitation of his brother’s voice to claim he had been kidnapped. DetectifAI currently has early revenue, Padmanabhuni says, and processes more than 100,000 calls a month for financial institutions in India.

The startup is selling its software to phone manufacturers and also plans to license it to businesses and fraud-prevention firms. It has raised a small seed round from Josh Constine and Manohar Kamath.

## The facts

- DetectifAI says it handles more than 100,000 calls a month for financial institutions in India.
- The company is competing in TechCrunch Startup Battlefield at TechCrunch Disrupt, October 13–15, 2026.

## Why it matters

If phone makers adopt the software, people could get a warning about a fake voice during a call without sharing the audio with a remote service.

## Sources & references

1. [After a deepfake voice fooled her grandfather, this founder sprang into action](https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/28/after-a-deepfake-voice-fooled-her-grandfather-this-founder-sprang-into-action/) – TechCrunch, 2026-09-28

Last updated: 2026-09-28